Circular loom



May 4,1926. 1,583,543 v o. A. *FRIEDERICKSON CIRCULAR LOOM Filed June 8, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. M a. 72m;

ATTORNEY.

May 4 1926. 1,583,543

o. A. FREDERICKSON CIRCULAR LOOM Filed June s, 1925 2 Sheets-$heet 2 vising means that will support-and drive the Patented May 1-iU-N TEDI T o'r'ro A. 'rnn'nnnrcxso'n, or wEA'rHERsFrELnf'connnc'rrcnrjnssmnon fro. min

AMERICAN IREMQLD COM AN or-nna'rronn, co vnncr'lcur, A. CORPORATION or ,coNNEc'rIoUn 1 Application filed June 8, 1925. SerialiNor 3 5 582l To all wito'm it may concern) Be it knowthat I, Or'ro A a citizen of the United States, residing'lat l veathersfield, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented an 1111' provement in Circular Looms, of which the following description,; in connection withl the accompanying drawings, is a specifica tion, like characters onthe drawings representing like parts.

v .Thisvinvention relates to circular looms and more particularly to means for supporting and driving the shuttle or shuttles of a circular loom. i Various constructions have been proposed heretofore for supporting and v driving, the shuttle of a'circular loom, but since the shuttle travels in a circular path't-hru the open shed difficulty has been experienced in de shuttle smoothly without pinching, deflecting or otherwise disturbing the threads of .the open shed.

- The driving 7 me ans for the shuttle should be so constructed that it will maintain complete control of the shuttle to prevent the same from racing ahead when "the speed of the loom is suddenly checked and the shuttleshould be so supported that it will run.

ative to the block at a speed that will cause.

the lower warp threads to enter the notches and'pass between the block and disk without being pinched or frayed.

vAnother important feature ofthe invention relates to a shoe or to shoes provided at the outer end of the shuttle to take the outward thrust of the shuttle due to centrifugal force, and since the cooperatingv driving disk and block serve to support the weight of the shuttle in addition to driving the same, 'the' sliding shoe mayserve to retain the shuttlein place upon the drivingv Fnnonmoxson,

' cinoniiAR Loom.

disk without supporting the shuttle. The sliding shoe orl shoesofthe present I invention are particularly desirable when the shuttle travelswvithin a fixed drum having rtical slots formed thru its wall for-the passage of warp "threads. Infthis type of circular loom the shoe or shoes engages an annular bearing surface at the inner face of the drum and they will slide smoothly over the vertical slots without'jarring th shuttle. V a v,

. It is found that' the shoes of the present invention work extremely satisfactory when constructed of wood which ha'sbeen soaked *l in oil, because whenjoil soaked wooden shoes arejemploye'dit is unnecessary to supply any lubricant to .'the annular bearing surface other than that' supplied by the shoes, and v i I i any heatingofthe shoes by friction will I serve to drive out of the wood just enough oilltosupply the needed'lubricant. -By'rus ing the oil soakedshoes'all danger of exwarp threads, is avoided. r

cess oil accumulating upon the annular bearing surface and vertical slots intersect? ing said surfaceiwhere is likely to soil the so i i Other features of the lnvention and novel A combination 'of parts in additionftof the above will be hereinaftendescribed incon- 'nection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one good practical form of the invention, a In the drawings Fig. l is a perspectiveview ofa portion 7 of a circular loorn provided withlmeans constructed 1n accordance with the present 1'n'-' vention for supporting, and driving the' shuttle and Fig. 2 is a vertical-sectional view thru the loom of Fig.-1;

The means of the present invention for supporting and driving the shuttle may be used in various different types of circular looms, and-the construction of the; loomshown is for the most part well known.)

In the construction shown the loom frame lower ring 10 having lugs 11 adaptedjto rest bed12, and the supporting bed is provided with a laterally extending upon a table or supporting lugs may be secured to the" by'bolts 113.; Sec of the frame "are ured to the lower-ring 10 v the uprights l45'positioned v in spaced relation about the ring,', andjaninloom is provided witha fixed dru1n719 in which the shuttle or shuttles travel, and this drum is provided with a laterallyextending flange 20 that is secured by bolts 21 to lugs 22 extending inwardly from the uprights 14.

1 The fixed drum 19 is provided with a number of vertical slots '23 thru which the warp threads 24 extend to the weaving point. The various warp threads 24 are led from a creel not shown) thru suitable tension means and then thru the lower guide eyes 25 upwardly to'the upper guide eyes 26. The guide eyes 25 are shown as secured to a ring 27 supported by the uprights 14, while the guide eyes 26 are secured to the upper ring 17 The warp threads 24 are shifted by heddles 28 to form the shed, as is usual, and the v heddles 28 are mounted in bushings 29 within the flange 20 for vertical sliding movement, and each warp thread ,passes thru an eye 30 at the upper end of its heddle. The lower end of each heddle is provided with a block 31 that slides in a heddle guide 32 conveniently formed asa trough shapedbar secured to the ring 15 by a bolt 33. The heddles 28 are reciprocated as usual by a cam drum 34 having the cam slots 35adapted to receive shoes 36 that slide within these slots and .these shoes are connected to the blocks at the lower .end of the heddles by pins 37. The cam drum 34 has a hub 38 that is secured to the outer portion of the cam drum by a, laterallyv extending wall, or arms, 39. The hub 38 of the cam'drum is journaled the frame by radially extending arms 42.

; A. set screw- 43 serves to secure the hollow 7 bearing brackets 48.

shaft rigidly in the hub 41. Bearing rings 44 are preferably provided near the opposite ends of the rotating hub 38 and the weight ofthe cam drum may be supported by an anti-friction bearing 45 at theolower end of the hub 38. The cam drum 34 is shown asv driven by a bevel gear 46 rigidly secured to the driving shaft 47, the ends of which shaft are journaled in the The shaft 47 is provided with the usual fast and loose pulleys 49 and 50 respectively, adapted'to receive a belt passing upwardly thru the platform 12. The'bevel gear 46 meshes with a gear 51 formed at thelower end ofthe cam drum. ,I As the cam drum 34 is rotatedby means just described, theheddles 28 will be the alternately raised and lowered to form a shed thru which the shuttle or shuttles 52 i sasis may pass, The number of shuttles employed in a circular loom provided with the features of the present invention may be varied as desired, and it is assumed that the loom shown is provided with two. shuttles 52. The

inner end of each shuttle 52, in the construction shown, is supported by a warp ring 53 having the warp receiving slots 54, and this ring is secured to a flange plate 55 by screws 56, which flange plate is in turn supported by a fixed gear 57 the hub of'which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the hollow shaft 40. The warp ring 53 is provided witha a raceway upon which a shoe 58 secured.

to the under face of the shuttle slides. This construction serves to support the inner inner end of the shuttle and then to the weaving point 62. A guide 63 secured to'the opposite sides of the shuttle frame and provided with an upper bar. 64 and a lower bar 65 serves to hold the warp threads out of engagement with the shuttle. y

In accordance with the present invention each shuttle 52 is provided at its outer end with a shoe or shoes 66, which are shown as clamped between a portion of the shuttle frame and the strip 67 securedtoi the shuttle frame by screws 68. These shoes are positioned to slidably engage an annular bearing surface 69 formed in the inner face of the fixed drum 19. of each shoe 66 is sufliciently wide to slide smoothly over the vertical warp receiving slots 23 formed in the drum 19, and these shoes serve to take the outward centrifugal thrust of the shuttles 52 when they are operated at high speed.

. The means of the present invention for driving each shuttle 52 consists of a disk 70 supported to travel in a circular path about the axis of the loom, and in the construction shown the disk 70 is rigidly secured to the outer end of a drivingshaft 71 which shaft is journaled in a bearing bracket 72 secured to the upper face 39 of the cam drum 34. However, if it should be desired to advance the disk 70 at a different speed from that at which the cam drum 34 rotates, or if it should be desired to employthe shuttle driving means of the present invention in, a loom which does not have a rotating cam drum, then some other form of driving frame that rotates about the axis of the loom may be provided to carry the disks 70. Means is provided for positively rotating each driving disk 70, and consists of a bevel gear-7 3 secured to the inner end of each shaft 71 and these bevel end of each shuttle so that the shoes will The bearing face r Each shuttle se igprovided near its outer tivelyf driven byblock 75, and the "shuttle is "-preyented: from 'racing aiheadof itsj driving "disk I when the 'speechof the loom is suddenly'checked. Since late at the slots 23 and "lVhen the sliding shoes are made of wood 1 'Jdrivingl disli or end, in the construction shown, witha block 7 5,-and thelowe'r face of each block 7 '5' has a concave bearingjsurface 7 GWhich adaptv edgt-o'frest upon andpaitially'jenibrace the rot'ating disk 7 O. Asaresultofthis constructi'on 'the' shuttle is supported and is posithe dislcTO and cooperating the weight oftheouter end of the shuttle is-supported *by the diskfio; it is unnecessary that the sliding shoes '66 support the weightof the shuttle, and, in the construction shown; the bearing I surface 69 in the inner face of thedrumfIQ is formed as an annular slot having its lower "face cut'- away by the inclined wall 77 The sliding shoes 66' therefore serveto take the outward thrust of the shuttle and to retain the same in place uponthe driving disk 7 O, 1 but preferably I do not support the weightof the shuttle because 1 ifthes'e shoes shouldsupport the weight of 53. ,i o '1; V "The-shuttle frame 52 is preferably ppro- I the Shuttle, the blockn1ight in some cases beprevented fr'om'resting upon'cits cooper,- a tin'g driVingdiskTQ, which is undesirable.

Each driving disk 79 is provided with notches 78 aclapted to receive the lower warp threads I and the I disks" 70" are driven at such speedthat thewarp threads will enter 'thenotches 'lsand will pass; smoothly: be.- tweenthe driving disks and the cooperating blocks 7 5 withoutbeing pinchedlor injured.

'by,these'elements. f I I v It is foundthat'theisliding shoes 66 wo'rk extremely V p I formed of wood soakedin oilybeeause when they are so constructed they form selt-lubris eating slides l and make itcuniiecessary to supply any lubricant to'the bearing surface 69 other than supplied by the oilsoaked shoes, and if, the shoes become heated. by friction-this will serve to drive out just enough oil to lubricate the operating parts but will not supply sufficient oil to the bearmg surface 69 to cause the oil to accumu; SO ll the warp threads.

it is important-that the bearing surface 69 be very smooth" and highly polished, --in which case the" wooden shoes will slide against said surface with an extremely small amount of friction.---

'It'ma'y als'obe desirableto form eithertl e the block 7 5 of wood that has been 'treated-withjoil so that self-lubritween the diskvand the diskto rotatesmoothly intheblockwhile f p .oiltre'ated wood then th e -other: element satisfactorily when #they, are Y cating' bearifig surface :will ibe 'provi ded L be block lwhichj ;willucause it supportsthe weight' ofthe shuttlefi If one of the cooperating}elements isformedvot should-be formed-ot-highly polished metal, For: example, if the block75 is formed of oil soaked-wood then thenotch disk 70rshould preferably bei formed of hardened-steel 1m.

'ing a highly polished p-eripheralsurface; as the success with whichla wooden bearing may be used depends largely "'uponj the smoothness oflthe surface,that .-cooperates therewith. Each shoe 66 maybe secured;to the shuttle by a-screw' 68,; as ;shown',.and the block 75 is"preferably:secured in, aysocket formed. in-the shuttle-'soswthat' it may be; -re+' tained'therei rbya. single screw. U V In the construction shown,- .the fabric is is drawn upwardlygby-means not shownthru be'supported at thedesiredhei ghtby ia hub KVOVntLt-th' point62in the" form oiia tube 'about aflexible core7 9 and the circulartube 81.-secur.edfto an amass extending inwardly".

froml'the fixedrdrum 19.: .Theshub, .81 may serve .tosupport' a wing" 83' whichiisdield slightly aboveflthe shoe':58 of .theshuttleto prevent the shuttle fromimoving upwardly out or; engagement with, the inner] race-way vided its inner end .witha plate 8 which be adj'ustably secured toxthe frame by 'operateto force theshed open, and as a, resultlit; is necessary to impart only 'a' relaf tively short rec'iprocatory movementtothe heddles '28 since all they need do istoopen thesh-edfar enough to permit the rounded 'end of the guide 63v to enter, whereupon the guide will open the shed sufficiently to permit-the-shuttle to pass thru the shed I Since the constructionjust describedrequires' the heddlesto bemoved thru onlyashort distance, the loom may, be operated at a much higher speed than" a. loom employing heddles that require along stroke. 1

. As aresu'lt'of the novel construction de scribed :each shuttle is at jall times und'ei' the positive control of a drivingdisk 70.

and cooperaiting block v7.5, sincefl'the 66, the shoes will slide treelyfag ainst the anopening element, at Q l V, end ofuthei shuttle and the guide 53 .co- 7 hu tle s r'p d', b its driving di hand not by; the sliding shoes to the shuttle and having a concavebearing surface that engages the disk.

2. In a circular loom, a fixed supporting frame having a shuttle race-way, means for shifting the warp threads to form the shed, a shuttle supported by said frame to travelin a circular path thru'the shed', means for driving the shuttle, comprising a rotating frame, adriving disk carried by the rotating frame, and a block secured to the shut tle and having a bearing surface that engages and is driven by the disk, I

3. In a circular loom, a rotating cam drum, heddles constructed to be reciprocatedby the cam drum, a shuttle supported to travel in a circular path thru the shed formed by the heddles, means for driving the shuttle comprising a notched driving disk rotatably mounted upon the cam drum, a block secured to the shuttle and having a bearing surface that engages the driving "disk todrive the shuttle, and means for positively rotating the notched disk relatively to the bearing block to promote the passage of warp threads between the disk and block.

4:. In a circular loom, a fixed drum hav ing an anular bearing surface formed at its inner face, arotating cam drum, heddles constructed to be reciprocated by the cam drum, a shuttle supported to travel within said fixed drum thru the shed formed. by the heddles, means for driving the shuttle comprising a driving disk carried by the cam drum, a block secured to the shuttle and having a concave bearing surface that engages the disk, and thrust means extending from the shuttle into engagement with said bearing surface.

5. In a circular loom, a rotating cam drum, heddles constructed to be reciprocated by the cam drum, a shuttle supported to travel in a circular path thruv the shed formed by the heddles, means for driving the shuttle comprising a driving disk mounted to travel about the axis of the m, and a block secured to the shuttle and having a concave bearing surface which the disk ongages to drive the shuttle,

6, In a circular loom, a fixed drum thru which the warp threads extend, means for shifting the warp threads to form the shed, a shuttle supported, within the drum to travel in. a circular; path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle,v comprising a rotating frame, a drivingdiskcarried by the rotating frame, and a block secured. to the shuttle and having a bearing surface that rests upon thedriving disk to support and drive the shuttle.

7. Ina circularloom, a fixed drum hav- 7 ing a shuttle race-way, means for shifting the warp threads to form a shed thru which, the shuttle may pass, a shuttle supported to travel in a circular path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle comprising a rotating frame, a notched driving disk dles constructed to be reciprocated by the.

cam drum, a shuttle supported to I travel within the fixed drum thru the shed formed by the heddles, means for driving the shuttle, and spaced shoesdisposed atthe opposite sides of a vertical plane passing centrally thru the shuttle and. the loom axis and extending horizontally in the same plane from the outer end of the shuttleinto sliding engagement with said bearing sur' face to take the outward centrifugal thrust of the traveling shuttle.

9. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface, means for shifting the warp threads to form a sheu thru which the shuttle may pass, a shuttle supported to travel in a circular path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, and spaced shoes disposed at the opposite'sides of a vertical plane passing centrally thru the shuttle and the loom axis and extending from the outer end of the shuttle in. thesame horizontal central plane to slid-ably engage said annular bearing surface and take the centrifugal thrust of the traveling shuttle.

10. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface, means for shifting the Warp threads to form a shed thru which the shuttle may pass, a shuttle mounted to travel in a circular path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, comprising a disk that is. supported to travel. in a circular path about the axis of the loom, a block upon the shuttle. and having a bearing surface that rests. upon the driving diskto support and drive the shuttle, and a shoe extending from the outer end of the shuttle into sliding engagement 'With the annular bearing surface constructed to take the outward. centrifugal shuttle, a shoe upon thrust of the shuttle without supporting the weight of the shuttle.

11. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface, means for shifting the warp threads to form a shed thru which the shuttle may pass, a shuttle supported to travel in a circular path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, and a shoe formed of wood and extending from the outer end of the shuttle in the central horizontal plane of the shuttle into sliding engagement with said annular bearing surface to take the centrifugal thrust of the traveling shuttle.

12. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface facing the axis of the loom, heddles supported for reciprocatory movement, means for operat ing the heddles to form the shed, a shuttle supported to travel within the fixeddrum thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, and a shoe formed of oil soaked wood extending from the shuttle into sliding engagement with said annular bearing surface and forming a self-lubricating slide.

13. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface, a shuttle supported to travel within the fixed drum, means for shifting the warp threads to form a shed thru which the shuttle passes, a raceway for supporting the inner end of the the shuttle for slidably engaging said annular bearing surface, a second shoe upon the shuttle for slidably engaging said race-way, one of said shoes being formed of wood treated with oil to form a self-lubricating slide, and means for driving the shuttle.

14. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface, means for shifting the warp threads to form the shed, a shuttle supported within the drum to travel in a circular. path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, and a shoe formed of oil-treated wood extending from the shuttle into sliding engagement with said annular bearing surface and forming a self-lubricating slide.

15. In a circular loom, a fixed drum having an annular bearing surface, a rotating driving frame, a shuttle mounted to travel in a circular path about the axis of the loom,

about the axis of the loom,

secured to the to form a shed thru which the shuttle may pass, means for driving the shuttle, comprising a disk that is mounted upon said driving frame to travel in a circular path a block secured to the shuttle and having a bearing surface that rests upon the driving disk to support and drive the shuttle, and means extending from the shuttle into engagement with said annular bearing surface to retain the shuttle in place upon the driving disk.

' 16. In acircular loom, a rotating cam drum, heddles constructed to be reciprocated by the cam drum, a shuttle supported means for driving the shuttle comprising a ried by the cam drum, a block secured to the shuttle and having aconcave bearing surface that engages the disk, and means for positively rotating the disk to promote the passage of the warp threads between the disk and block, including a gear secured to the disk and a fixed ring gear with which said gear meshes to cause the gear to! rotate as it travels about the axis of the loom.

17 In a circular loom, a fixed supporting frame having a shuttle race-way, means for shifting the warp threads toform the shed,

means for shifting the warp threads driving disk car- "to travel in a circular path thru the shed A formed by the heddles,

a shuttle supported by the frame to travel in a circular path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, comprising a rotating frame, a driving disk ing frame, and an oil treated wooden block shuttle and having a bearing surlface that is engaged and driven by the dis a 18, In a circular loom, a fixed supporting frame having a shuttle race -way, means for shifting the warp. threads toform the shed, a shuttle supported by the frame to travel in a circular path thru the shed, means for driving the shuttle, comprising a rotating frame, a driving disk carried by the rotating frame and a cooperating block secured to the shuttle and one of them of oil treated wood to provide aself-lubrieating bearing between the disk and block. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

OTTO A. FREDERICKSON.

being formed carried by the rotat- 

